Claire Masset is a freelance editor and writer specialising in art, architecture and gardens. She has an MA in Art History from St Andrews University, an M.Phil in Decorative Arts from Glasgow University and a Postgraduate Certificate in Architectural History from Oxford University. She writes for the National Trust Magazine and many other magazines and is assistant editor of the Historic Gardens Review. She wrote 'Department Stores' for Shire.

Some of Britain's surviving orchards are almost six hundred years old, and whether laden with summer fruit or stripped bare by the winter are places of great beauty. Throughout history, they have played an important role in life both rural and urban, providing not just food and drink but also a haven for wildlife and a setting for age-old customs and social gatherings. But when did orchards first appear? What is wassailing and who did it? Why has England lost almost two-thirds of its orchards since 1950 - and what is being done about it today? This beautifully illustrated book reveals the engaging story and rich diversity of Britain's apple, pear and cherry orchards.